MARK CHAPTER 10 Discussion Starter O

Home , Mark 10

RCC LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION (FACILITATOR)

MARK CHAPTER 10

Discussion Starter

o Have you ever tried to rationalize or justify something that you said or did that you knew was wrong?

▪ Why did you do this? What was the result?

Opening Prayer

o Ask if someone wants to volunteer before leading the prayer

Tell the Story

Read the Story (Mark 10:1-52)

o Read out loud as a group, 5 verses per person. Let everyone know they can opt out if they would like.

Breaking it Down

o All questions should be utilized as appropriate based upon group dynamics to facilitate both understanding and discussion. Don’t feel tied to the questions and don’t feel like you have to get through every question. Follow the Spirit’s lead! All questions are a matter of perspective in some way BUT there are specific questions that this is truer of and these questions have been indicated to be perspective/opinion questions.

Mark 10:1-12

o To begin to understand and appreciate what Jesus is saying in this passage, it is important to note what Paul says about husbands, wives, and marriage in Ephesians 5:21-33 but especially Ephesians 5:32.

▪ Paul indicates that he is utilizing the marriage between a husband and wife to illustrate a much deeper truth and that truth is that marriage is and has always been intended to be a reflection of how much Jesus loves His church.

• So, while earthly healthy marriages are beautiful and are intended by God to bless the husband, the wife, and the world around them in numerous ways, it is important to remember that earthly marriages are supposed to be gorgeous reflections of how much Jesus loves His church. o Why do you think that the Pharisees wanted to test Jesus?

▪ The Pharisees viewed Jesus as a threat to how they were choosing to live life. For them, catching Jesus in some type of “lie” or “contradiction” would mean that what Jesus said and stood for could be invalidated in their own hearts and minds.

• In what ways is Jesus currently a threat (in good ways) to some of the things that you’re thinking and/or doing? Patterns of behavior, etc?

o This is a perspective and opinion question so please listen as the facilitator. o What do Jesus’ responses to the Pharisees indicate about God’s design and plan for marriage?

▪ God’s ideal for marriage has always been intended to be a lifelong commitment. Jesus didn’t argue with the fact that Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) but this was because women were treated like property in those times and their husbands could divorce them for really whatever reason(s) they deemed acceptable. It was not that God approved of divorce in these situations. But Jesus puts the Pharisees in their place and lets them know that because of their own hardness of heart, God chose to put things in place that would protect the women who were being treated like property.

o What are we to make of Mark 10:10-12?

▪ For so long, this passage and other passages like it have been abused and utilized to shame those who have divorced. If these verses are viewed in connection with what Jesus has already said, it becomes clear that Jesus wants His disciples to understand that marriage between a man and woman has always been intended to be a serious and life long commitment. The marital relationship is second only to an individual’s relationship with God. Jesus is speaking to his disciples about the practice of marriage just being this unimportant, flimsy, and whimsical series of choices that are based upon fleeting emotions. People aren’t afterthoughts and aren’t intended to be thrown away and neither is marriage.

• Jesus isn’t saying that divorce can’t and won’t be forgiven. He works in less than the ideal every single day! However, it is clear in this passage and many other passages that divorce is never God’s ideal.

Mark 10:13-16

o How do you think that you as a disciple of Jesus Christ can receive God’s kingdom like a child?

• This is a perspective and opinion question so please listen as the facilitator.

Mark 10:17-31

o What does the rich man’s question indicate about him in verse 17?

• Following Jesus for him was a matter of what he was doing rather than acting out of who he was. Whenever we view/treat walking with Jesus primarily as what we do as opposed to who we are, this revolves around what we bring to the table and not what Jesus brings to the table. It is extremely selfish.

▪ Why does Jesus seem to entertain and engage the rich man’s question?

• Jesus wants the man to understand that there’s not enough that any person can do to be right with God. It’s about surrendering everything to the One who can do it all.

▪ How do you think we are similar to the rich man?

• This is a perspective and opinion questions so please listen as the facilitator.

▪ Why do you think that Jesus places such a heavy emphasis on the difficulty that the rich will have in entering the kingdom of God?

• It is very important to understand that Jesus isn’t just talking about monetary wealth in this passage although this would certainly be included. Jesus is talking about all individuals who put more value and more trust in their own talents, gifts, abilities, possessions, and wealth rather than surrendering all of it to the power and authority of Jesus.

Mark 10:35-45

o What do you think drove James and John to be so crazy and bold in what they asked of Jesus?

▪ This is a perspective and opinion question so please listen as the facilitator.

• In what ways are we sometimes similar to James and John in how we approach Jesus?

o This is a perspective and opinion question so please listen as the facilitator.

o In light of what Jesus says about Himself in verse 45, what does this both say and mean about our daily lives as His disciples?

▪ If Jesus as the Son of God and God Himself poured out all that He had, even as the Creator of the universe, this reality should be inspiring, convicting, and motivating in how we pour ourselves out in the same ways that we have been poured into.

Mark 10:46-52

o How would you characterize Bartimaues in the following areas?

▪ His desperation for Jesus

▪ His belief in Jesus

▪ His persistence for Jesus

▪ His faith in Jesus

o How would you characterize yourself in the following areas?

▪ Your desperation for Jesus

▪ Your belief in Jesus

▪ Your persistence for Jesus

▪ Your faith in Jesus

Final Application

o What does this passage teach us about God?

o What does this passage teach us about mankind?

o What is a command to obey in this passage?

o What has God revealed in your life that needs changing?

o What truth can be applied to your life about the gospel?

Closing & Prayer Requests

o Have a designated person to capture and share (as appropriate) within the life group.

o What happens in life group, stays in life group.

o Don’t forget get to confirm the next meeting date and time

o Also recruit someone to do the story for the following week (Mark 11) if you haven’t already done so.

RCC LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION (STUDENT)